commuterDude: From Mo-Bike-Fed...

February 11, 2009

From Mo-Bike-Fed...

The U.S. House has passed a version of the stimulus bill that included a fair share for bicycling and walking in the bill's transportation funding.

The Senate's version leaves it out.

Your voice can help put it back.

Hundreds of bicycle & pedestrian groups across the U.S. are coordinating a grassroots call/fax/email campaign TODAY.

--> Easy 5 minute action page:

http://capwiz.com/lab/callalert/index.tt?alertid=12647931

--> Contact info for ALL Missouri members of Congress is at the very end of this message.

Message: "I support a fair share for bicycling and walking in transportation funding. Please support Transportation Enhancements in the Economic Recovery bill."

SUPPORT BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PROJECTS IN THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL

The House and the Senate have each passed their own version of the Economic Recovery Bill, aimed at creating jobs and stimulating the economy.

Both bills include billions for transportation infrastructure, but only the House bill includes funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects in the Transportation Enhancements program. The House bill includes approximately

$1.35 billion for Transportation Enhancements of which 50-60% is traditionally spent on bicycle and pedestrian projects.

The Senate bill does not explicitly include Transportation Enhancements, so it’s unclear whether this funding will be in the final bill.

We need to make sure Transportation Enhancement funding is in the final bill.

This week there will be a conference committee where several members of the House and several members of the Senate will work together to reconcile the two bills. Conferees need to hear that Transportation Enhancements are important to stimulating the economy, creating green jobs, and moving us towards a sustainable future.

CALL TODAY!

5 minute action page:

http://capwiz.com/lab/callalert/index.tt?alertid=12647931

Please call your senators and representative and ask them to tell the Conferees to support Transportation Enhancements in the Economic Recovery bill. Tell them:

* Bicycle and pedestrian projects create jobs at the same or better rate than highway projects.

* These smaller projects can move quickly to hire local businesses and help local economies.

* Providing safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access gives families healthier and cheaper transportation options.

* Improving sidewalks and bike lanes can make a downtown a destination further helping the local economy.

* Better biking and walking options also help ensure greater energy independence, less pollution, and a healthier United States!

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What is bicycle commuting?

Simply put, bicycle commuting is the act of travelling to a place of work or education by bicycle. In many areas it is common to combine bicycle commuting with public transport. Worldwide, the bicycle remains the most common commuter vehicle, and bicycle riding the second most common form of commuting, second only to walking. While the absolute number of bicycles in existence globally is unknown, it is clear that significantly more bicycles are manufactured than automobiles. In the United States about 40% of automobile trips are two miles or less; using a bicycle for these short trips can reduce your emissions and expenses. If you live within ten miles of work, you could save thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance and automotive maintenance costs each year. This webpage seeks to highlight bicycling as a viable transportation platform and a fun, exciting, healthful way to improve your life! Visit the commuting links below and get started today!

What is Randonneuring?

The French term "randonnée" loosely translates as a long tour or ramble along a defined route, and persons embarking as such are dubbed "randonneurs". In cycling, the term defines a hard-riding enthusiast attempting a long-distance randonnée (called a "brevet", usually 200 kilometers or greater) within a certain time allotment. Non-competitive by design, randonneuring encourages camaraderie: riders test themselves against the clock, the weather, and a challenging route - but not each other. Randonneuring's ethos embodies self-sufficiency and mental toughness; support vehicles are not allowed and brevets are held regardless of weather. Randonneurs USA (RUSA) organizes brevets in the United States under the auspices of the Audax Club Parisien (ACP) and the Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM), and rider's results are recognized world-wide. This website seeks to highlight the excitement and challenge of long-distance bicycle riding by sharing personal ride accounts, with the hope of growing the sport. If this type of bicycle riding interests you and you'd like to find out more, visit the RUSA webpage to find rides in your area!

For ride announcements and discussions on randonneuring in the greater Kansas City area, visit KC Ultra Cycling, and join the KC Ultra-Cycling Email List:

Subscribe to KCUC

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Visit this group

Courtesy Randonneurs USA

What is Ultra-Marathon Cycling?

Just as the 26.2-mile marathon represents a benchmark for runners, bicyclists generally consider the "century", riding 100-miles, a worthy endurance challenge. Ultra-marathon cycling involves exceeding that benchmark, often several times over, offering the long-distance challenge of randonnuering with a more competitive flavor. This is the world of 24-hour races, double-centuries, and beyond. Where randonneuring rewards all finishers equally and emphasizes self-sufficiency, ultra-racers compete for time and placing, maximizing speed by utilizing support crews for hand-ups and fast repairs. Event courses can be long and scenic, but may take the form of many laps of a looped course. Winning ultra-distance events requires the rare combination of endurance and a high average speed. Randonneuring and Ultra-Marathon often complement one another: brevets can offer base-training to prepare for racing, and fast randonneurs often enter ultra events for a new challenge. Visit the World Ultra Cycling Association's website for more information.

Courtesy World Ultra Cycling Association

February 11, 2009

From Mo-Bike-Fed...

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